CHRISTI HEGSTAD PH.D.

Author Archives: Christi Hegstad

Day 34: Learn To Play An Instrument

Christi Hegstad July 19th, 2014


Where words fail, music speaks.

Hans Christian Andersen

42 Days Of Yes!

Day 34: Learn To Play An Instrument

When the urge to play the ukulele strikes, you must pounce – right? 😉

On Day 34 I said YES to learning to play a song on the ukulele. I played piano and trumpet in junior high and high school, and I sing constantly (much to the dismay of those around me, I might add!), but I haven’t attempted learning an instrument in years. I love the peppiness of the ukulele and the challenge inherent in this YES intrigued me.

Thanks to the support of a brilliant and incredibly patient teacher, I can now actually play an entire song! I even got a little cocky towards the end of our lesson and attempted a few new moves, as pictured. 🙂 You’ll find another photo here.

To learn more about this YES – including why in the world I am learning the ukulele and what it has to do with professional development – be sure to join us at Spark!

 

To what did you say YES today? Share your thoughts below, on Facebook, or via Twitter. 

New to the 42 Days Of Yes? Learn more here.

Dr. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As a Certified Executive and Leadership Coach and the President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches executives and leaders who need to get unstuck – whether in your leadership ability, income level, or from spinning your wheels in the day-to-day. Christi helps you flourish towards your purposeful vision with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Learn more about Dr. Christi and MAP Inc. at www.meaning-and-purpose.com, on Facebook, or via Twitter.

 

Day 33: Visit A Dream Bookstore

Christi Hegstad July 18th, 2014


I have gone to [this bookstore] for years, always finding the book I wanted – and then three more I hadn’t known I wanted.

Mary Ann Shaffer

42 Days Of Yes!

Day 33: Visit A Dream Bookstore


Picture this: 

An entire city block housing shelves and shelves of books. 

68,000 square feet filled with books, books, and more books. 

3,000 people entering the store every day to read, discuss, and purchase books. 

Service desks on every floor staffed with knowledgeable, book-loving people. 

Author readings and book signings occurring on a near-daily basis.

A dream? No, Powell’s Bookstore!

For a book lover, nothing quite compares to the experience of Powell’s. I am not sure how anyone works here and still brings home a paycheck – I’m pretty sure mine would just go right back to Powell’s (and maybe a little towards shelving)!  

This was a blissful YES! (To see the proof in a photo, click here.) I might just pack up and move into this store. 🙂

 

If you’re heading to Portland, OR, click here to learn about Powell’s City Of Books! You can shop there online if you’re not heading out that way, too.

Have you ever been to Powell’s or another amazing bookstore? Tell us about it below, on Facebook, or via Twitter. To find out my top book recommendations for professional and personal success, join us at Spark!

New to the 42 Days Of Yes? Learn more here.

Dr. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As a Certified Executive and Leadership Coach and the President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches executives and leaders who need to get unstuck – whether in your leadership ability, income level, or from spinning your wheels in the day-to-day. Christi helps you flourish towards your purposeful vision with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Learn more about Dr. Christi and MAP Inc. at www.meaning-and-purpose.com, on Facebook, or via Twitter.

 

 

Day 31: Climb A Mountain

Christi Hegstad July 16th, 2014

It is not the mountain that we conquer but ourselves.

Edmund Hillary

42 Days Of Yes!

Day 31: Climb A Mountain

Is there anything quite like climbing a mountain to put work, life, and challenge into perspective?

On Day 31, my sister and I said YES to a hike on Mount Hood, just outside of Portland, OR. The scenery there never ceases to amaze me: trees that have weathered the elements for years and remain standing; colorful flowers that somehow grow amid the craggy rocks.

We’ve hiked many times, and this one – aptly called a “thigh burner” – definitely challenged us. The scenery from the summit was mesmerizing, but so was the scenery along the way. Just like setting a challenging goal at work or in life, the joy is in the journey: succeeding through an unexpected hurdle, experiencing the friendliness of others in similar pursuit, coming to a crossroads and deciding to forge ahead rather than turn back. 

I also said YES to taking my first ‘selfie,’ since the only one available to snap our photo would have been our chipmunk friend Lucy pictured here. She was waiting at the summit and spent a good deal of time with us, too! 😉 To see the photo with the peak of Mount Hood, click here.

To what did you say YES today? Share your thoughts below, on Facebook, or via Twitter. Join us at Spark by clicking here! 

New to the 42 Days Of Yes? Learn more here.

Dr. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As a Certified Executive and Leadership Coach and the President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches executives and leaders who need to get unstuck – whether in your leadership ability, income level, or from spinning your wheels in the day-to-day. Christi helps you flourish towards your purposeful vision with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Learn more about Dr. Christi and MAP Inc. at www.meaning-and-purpose.com, on Facebook, or via Twitter.

 

Clarity Kickstart: Put First Things First

Christi Hegstad July 14th, 2014

And every day, the world will drag you by the hand, yelling, “This is important! And this is important! And this is important! You need to worry about this! And this! And this!”

 

And each day, it’s up to you to yank your hand back, put it on your heart and say, “No. This is what’s important.”

 

Iain Thomas
 
 
Coaching Tip for the Week:

 

When you arrive to work, what is most likely to get your attention?
 
If you’re like many, it’s the “reactive” stuff: email, voicemail, others’ requests.
 
This week, when it comes to your daily planning, practice what I call First Things First (I love Stephen Covey’s book of the same name). Before flipping on email or checking social media or entering a meeting, decide for yourself what’s most important. Identify your 3 most important tasks of the day – the 3 that, if all else goes haywire, must get done in order to move you closer to your vision and goals.
 
The act of moving from a reactive to proactive start to your day will work wonders for your productivity, leadership, and mood!
 
How will you determine your top 3 priorities? Inspire others by sharing below, on our Facebook page, or via Twitter!

CLARITY is the key to personal success – clarity around your vision, values, and what matters most. Click here if you need more clarity!

 

Dr. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As a Certified Executive and Leadership Coach and the President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches executives and leaders who need to get unstuck – whether in your leadership ability, income level, or from spinning your wheels in the day-to-day. Christi helps you flourish towards your purposeful vision with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Learn more about Dr. Christi and MAP Inc. at www.meaning-and-purpose.com, on Facebook, or via Twitter.

Day 27: Reap The Harvest

Christi Hegstad July 11th, 2014

 

I say, if your knees aren’t green by the end of the day, you ought to seriously re-examine your life.

Bill Watterson, Calvin & Hobbes

42 Days Of Yes!

Day 27: Reap The Harvest

When I was a kid, I used to stay with my grandparents for a week each summer. My aunt, who lived next door, would invite me to weed her vegetable garden, paying me a penny per weed. I don’t think she expected me to actually keep track, but as a child I was a rule-follower, so I diligently counted as I weeded. She won with a clean garden, I won with a little cash in my pocket, and we both won by spending the afternoon together, engaged in an activity that has spanned the ages and contributes to our well-being.

Nowadays, whenever I’m in the garden, my mind connects the act to career success. A few months ago, for example, one of my clients was “planting seeds” in her business – making calls and taking actions without a lot of immediate gratification, but done in faith and with a clear vision of what could be. She nurtured those seeds for a while and then, last month, she reaped a harvest: her business had its most profitable month in 7 years. Faith, action, delayed gratification, trust, growth…gardening is such a great metaphor for career development – and for life!

Today I said YES to harvesting some of our mid-summer crops, like the beans and kale shown in the photo. A healthy, delicious, metaphorical YES!

P.S. If you have any good recipes for kale, please let me know! 😉

To what did you say YES today? Share your thoughts below, on Facebook, or via Twitter. Grow with us at Spark by clicking here! 


New to the 42 Days Of Yes? Learn more here.

Dr. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As a Certified Executive and Leadership Coach and the President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches executives and leaders who need to get unstuck – whether in your leadership ability, income level, or from spinning your wheels in the day-to-day. Christi helps you flourish towards your purposeful vision with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Learn more about Dr. Christi and MAP Inc. at www.meaning-and-purpose.com, on Facebook, or via Twitter.

Day 26: Strike A Pose

Christi Hegstad July 10th, 2014

Don’t just stand there, let’s get to it. Strike a pose, there’s nothing to it.

Madonna

42 Days Of Yes!

Day 26: Strike A Pose

It was nearly 100 degrees, with humidity hovering around 100%…the perfect day for an outdoor photo shoot, right?!

My daughter, youngest son, and I said YES to venturing out to the Pappajohn Sculpture Park, an incredibly unique destination right in the heart of Des Moines. In addition to admiring the art and trying to guess the titles of each sculpture, we decided to pull out our phones and have a photo shoot, too. 

I captured a bunch of great scenes of the kids and was reminded, as I am daily, of their vast imaginations! They seem unencumbered by the whole “what would people think?” issue that plagues so many adults; they just fearlessly do what they feel inspired to do. I love a YES that includes my kids, brings me to a unique setting, inspires me, and involves goofiness and laughter!

To what did you say YES today? Share your thoughts below, on Facebook, or via Twitter. Strike a pose with us at Spark by clicking here! 


New to the 42 Days Of Yes? Learn more here.

Dr. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As a Certified Executive and Leadership Coach and the President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches executives and leaders who need to get unstuck – whether in your leadership ability, income level, or from spinning your wheels in the day-to-day. Christi helps you flourish towards your purposeful vision with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Learn more about Dr. Christi and MAP Inc. at www.meaning-and-purpose.com, on Facebook, or via Twitter.

  

Day 25: Hula Hoop!

Christi Hegstad July 9th, 2014

To keep life’s hula hoops from crashing, you have to find your center.

Unknown

42 Days Of Yes!

Day 25: Hula Hoop!

I recently decided that, when it comes to fitness, I need to do more “core work.” I’ve attempted Pilates and a few other activities and, while I love the concept, they haven’t “clicked” for me. That might be a signal for me to pursue them (we resist what we most need, right?), but I am looking for something a little more…fun? Odd? Childlike? 😉

Today, I found it! I said YES to hula hooping.

Even though I haven’t hula hooped for 20 years or so, I found it to be like riding a bike – a skill that comes back rather quickly.

Now, bear in mind I have done absolutely no research and don’t really know if this does anything for one’s core. But it has been an absolute hoot, and that is good enough reason for me to say YES!


Can any connection be made between hula hooping and leadership?! Share your brilliance below, on Facebook, or via Twitter.

And if you haven’t yet enrolled in Spark, you won’t want to miss it! Click here for details.

Dr. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As a Certified Executive and Leadership Coach and the President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches executives and leaders who need to get unstuck – whether in your leadership ability, income level, or from spinning your wheels in the day-to-day. Christi helps you flourish towards your purposeful vision with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Learn more about Dr. Christi and MAP Inc. at www.meaning-and-purpose.com, on Facebook, or via Twitter.

 

Day 23: Ignite A Big Spark!

Christi Hegstad July 8th, 2014

 

You have to find what sparks a light in you so that you, in your own way, can illuminate the world.

Oprah Winfrey

42 Days Of Yes!

Day 23: Ignite A Big Spark!

I’m not sure if it was the fresh air, the excessive coffee, the gorgeous summer day, or something completely unrelated, but today was a YES after YES after YES kind of day!

After saying YES to moving my office outside (not a difficult YES!), I focused most of the morning on Spark – our 2nd annual event coming up in October. An event of this type is a huge undertaking, and much of the groundwork has been completed for months.

But today needed to be a decision-making kind of day. With suggestions, enthusiasm, and support from an outstanding team, I said YES to:

In essence, even though Spark 2013 was absolutely incredible, I said YES to up-leveling the experience for those who attend in some pretty significant, meaningful ways. And as you can probably tell by my excessive use of exclamation points in this post, I am quite excited about it!

These kinds of YESes require me to continuously clarify my vision and then choose in its favor. Some of these decisions are hefty – but easier to make with that clear vision and purpose. I am thankful for today’s YES experience because in up-leveling the Spark event, I have up-leveled my vision as well!

To what did you say YES today? Share your comments below, on Facebook, or via Twitter.

And if you haven’t yet enrolled in Spark, you won’t want to miss it! Click here for details.

Dr. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As a Certified Executive and Leadership Coach and the President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches executives and leaders who need to get unstuck – whether in your leadership ability, income level, or from spinning your wheels in the day-to-day. Christi helps you flourish towards your purposeful vision with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Learn more about Dr. Christi and MAP Inc. at www.meaning-and-purpose.com, on Facebook, or via Twitter.

 

Clarity Kickstart: Build Confidence In The Leaders Around You

Christi Hegstad July 7th, 2014


What I do [at my concerts] is, in essence, create an atmosphere for my fans where they don’t leave loving me – they leave loving themselves.

 

~ Lady Gaga
 
 
Coaching Tip for the Week:

 

What is the stronger measure of leadership: the number of fans or followers you have?
 
Or the number of leaders you have developed around you?
 
I vote for the latter. A true leader is less concerned with appearances and more focused on leading with integrity and heart, providing high-quality service to those outside and inside the organization, and creating a leadership legacy by embedding values and development opportunities into the culture.

This week, take extra steps to build confidence and skills in the leaders around you. Ask questions instead of giving directions, offer specific praise, and delegate with the intention of growing others’ leadership abilities. 
 
One of the simplest and most overlooked ways to begin? Look people in the eye and give them your undivided attention. This simple act can be transformational.
 
How will you build leadership confidence in those around you? Inspire others by sharing below, on Facebook, or via Twitter! 

Successful leadership requires BOLD action. Click here for a one-day training that will transform your leadership!
 

 

Dr. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As a Certified Executive and Leadership Coach and the President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches executives and leaders who need to get unstuck – whether in your leadership ability, income level, or from spinning your wheels in the day-to-day. Christi helps you flourish towards your purposeful vision with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Learn more about Dr. Christi and MAP Inc. at www.meaning-and-purpose.com, on Facebook, or via Twitter.

  

Day 22: Become Tourists In Our Own Town

Christi Hegstad July 6th, 2014

See the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories.

Ray Bradbury

42 Days Of Yes!

Day 22: Become Tourists In Our Own Town

A couple of years after we moved to Iowa, we hosted some out-of-town guests who had never been here before. I asked local friends what they considered the “must-see” destinations here in our own metro area and was surprised how many I hadn’t yet visited. 

Fast-forward another decade, and I’m *still* surprised at the local gems I have yet to explore!

Today we visited one such place that has been on my radar for years: The Salisbury House. The history, architecture, and beauty that surrounds this place floored me; what I loved even more (aside from the book collection) was learning about the family that lived here so many years ago. And actually, a big part of what made that so enthralling was the enthusiasm and knowledge of the guides. They love The Salisbury House, and it shows! Encountering people who truly enjoy and find value in their work is such a day-brightener. 

We visited a few other local hotspots today and topped off our touring with a meal at Zombie Burger…because that’s just how we roll! 🙂

Have you ever been in a tourist in your own town? Share your thoughts below, on Facebook, or via Twitter. And click here to join us at Spark! 

New to the 42 Days Of Yes? Learn more here.

 

Dr. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As a Certified Executive and Leadership Coach and the President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches executives and leaders who need to get unstuck – whether in your leadership ability, income level, or from spinning your wheels in the day-to-day. Christi helps you flourish towards your purposeful vision with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Learn more about Dr. Christi and MAP Inc. at www.meaning-and-purpose.com, on Facebook, or via Twitter.

  

 

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